FEATURED AUSSIE BUSINESS: Soka Australia

1. Tell us a bit about your business and how you got to where you are now?

My husband was always complaining that he could never wash his hands in the laundry sink because I was always soaking clothes in there, and told me to do something about it. So I accepted the challenge and saved my marriage by inventing the Australia made Soka Tub.

The Soka Tub increases the usability and functionality of the laundry sink whilst saving water and detergent. It allows you to separately soak delicate, stained and coloured items in different solutions, all in the one bucket. Thus saving time and avoids the backlog of multiple items on your laundry bench. Store in the sink, on the bench, in a cupboard or out on display. There is no wrong answer.

Even though the Soka Tub is primarily designed for the laundry it also was purposefully designed to be versatile in and around the home with a goal of one product having infinite uses. Since storage space is a premium in most homes, apartments, caravans and boats, the Soka Tub therefore becomes the solution to most household problems. Stylish, versatile, practical, universal, ergonomically designed, sustainable, award winning, Australian made and with a focus on supporting a circular economy.

2. What do you love most about your business – how is it unique?

The unique features of the Soka Tub include:
– There is no other compartmental laundry soaking system on the market
– No other system eliminates the risk of children drowning with the internal compartments insitu.
– The only system which is ergonomically designed for manual handling of lighter loads
– The only system where you can soak 3 different items in 3 different laundry solutions in the one bucket
– The only system with draining lids which reduces skin contact with waste water and also – doubles as a mixing tool.
– The only system with a circular economy focus
– The only system that saves water and detergent

The Soka Tub

3. What’s your life mantra?

Life’s too short to be in the laundry

4. What else would you be doing if you didn’t do what you do?

Working in an op shop!! haha

5. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

Last week my girlfriend surprised me with a 3 hr house cleaner!!! I was in 2 minds whether to get her to do the standard clean like bathrooms and floors, or the things you don’t get to often like tracks and skirting boards.

6. What’s the best gift you’ve ever bought someone?

A Soka Tub of course!!

Nicole Gibson is the Director of Soka Australia. Nicole accepted her husband’s challenge and designed the award winning laundry Soka Tub which saves water, detergent, space, time,money and sanity.

With over 2 decades as a registered nurse and having 4 kids, Nicole shared her knowledge in a parenting book which saw Nicole provide the community with solutions to everyday problems as a parenting expert on local radio for 3 years. The Soka Tub is proudly made in Australia and Nicole actively supports local business through donations and mentoring. Nicole often shares how even regular Australians can do extraordinary things simply by asking what problem are they solving and what makes them unique? Nicole believes that many great ideas go to the grave, and that if there is still a hole in the market after numerous years, then that is a sign to fill that hole with your business idea
. Learn more at www.sokaaustralia.com.au and connect on Instagram.

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FEATURED AUSSIE BUSINESS: B2C Furniture

After buying our home, furniture was our next most carefully considered purchase. The pieces of furniture you select for your home are generally a big financial investment, and something you have to live with everyday…no pressure! This week we caught up with Anesley Clarke, Business Owner & Director of B2C Furniture, and discovered how he makes the experience of purchasing furniture special.

1. Tell us a bit about your business and how you got to where you are now?

Furnishing your home should give you warm and fuzzy feelings, not leave you frazzled and fed up! But unless you’re a carpenter with an eye for detail and design, you’re in real danger of getting lost in the abyss of ambiguous information like a coin that’s fallen out of your pocket and slipped beneath the cushions of your couch.

Furniture should be functional and hard-wearing, without lacking in style of course! You’ll generally have to pay a pretty penny for the pleasure of taking home all three.

By sourcing direct from the manufacturer, taking out the middle man and selling online, B2C furniture can offer a range of exceptional quality pieces crafted from solid timber, at prices usually associated with furniture that is vastly inferior in quality and design.

B2C Furniture set out to build a furniture range with sustainable hardwood timber being the focal point of each design as opposed to most of our competitors who manufacture from cheap chipboard which ends up in landfills and pollutes our precious planet.

B2C Furniture has range that has a five-pronged focus – bedroom furniture, kids beds, dining sets, living room furniture and furniture packages.

Paris Beige Occasional Chair

2. What do you love most about your business – how is it unique?

We are a genuine 100% Australian owned “Business – 2 – Consumer” (B2C) company. Cutting out the middle man allows us to offer exceptionally crafted designs at half the price of our competitors so our customers benefit from the significant savings.

Our website is our shop window. The emphasis on quality is evident at the click of a mouse.
There are a number of key features that differentiate our online offering, including;
– Intuitive, fast, and easy to navigate website
– Lifestyle pictures of our entire product range with in-depth descriptions
– The ability to deliver Australia-wide
– After browsing the range online, local customers can visit our showroom in Dandenong, Melbourne to see for themselves what exceptional value for money they’re getting.
– We openly inform our customers to visit our competitors, see what they’re offering, compare the price. Invariably when we do that they come back to us. We get so many repeat sales, because we’re creating a level of confidence in our brand. We have a conversion rate of more than 90 percent for customers who come into our showroom after viewing our range online.

However, the single most important aspect which differentiates us from our competitors is our customer support.

In a competitive industry where most competitor transactions are emotionless, B2C pride ourselves on an endearing after-sales service that inspires strong feedback.

We have an in-house team that personally follow up with our customers once they have had a chance to enjoy their pieces in their homes and check in on how things are going. ‘did you receive the furniture, are you happy with it, do you have any issues or feedback?’

Product reviews are especially important for us, and we average 4.9 out of five stars. We were awarded “The Best National Furniture Store for 2020” by product review.

Furniture is one of the biggest commodities globally and by cutting out the middleman and offering stunning furniture constructed with solid hardwood timber direct, we believe we are offering pieces with substance and style at a price point they would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

Cruz Hardwood King Size Bed Frame | Rustic Walnut

3. What’s your life mantra?

My life mantra is “when the student is ready, the master will arrive”. In my experience I’ve discovered the importance of having the courage to follow your passion even though you don’t have the knowledge at the beginning of your journey to achieve it.

I’ve recognized that inexplicably you will meet the people who will educate you on how to take the next steps if you have the courage, belief and tenacity to stay the course.

4. What else would you be doing if you didn’t do what you do?

I’ve always been an entrepreneur since I graduated from RMIT as an Aerospace Engineer. So if I weren’t involved in running a business I would be designing rockets to explore the universe 😊

Myer King Single Bunk Bed with Storage

5. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

The most precious gift I’ve ever been blessed with is my 6 old daughter. When she was born, I suddenly saw the world in a new light; the awe-inspiring feeling of pure love, the enormous gratitude of being blessed with a life so precious.

Bella 5PCE Round Glass Dining Set

6. What’s the best gift you’ve ever bought someone?

My mother is a widower who is 86 years young. She is battling the onset of dementia which is a terrible illness. Two years ago during the onset of this disease I took her on a trip to Europe.

I’ve always been busy with various business ventures ever since I left university. So, I never truly had the opportunity to sit one-on-one with my mother and just talk as adults.

But spending three weeks with her visiting historic cities of Europe and taking the time to have a coffee with her in some enchanting little cafes was amazing… To listen to her stories, to understand her joy, sadness, and wisdom was an enriching experience for both of us. One that will live in my heart forever…

Finn Double Size Bed Frame

Anesley Clarke is the Business Owner & Director of B2C Furniture. Furniture should not cost you the earth…nor should it cost the earth its survival.

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FEATURED AUSSIE BUSINESS: The Other Straw

With the spread of plastic straw bans, businesses like The Other Straw have emerged to provide environmentally friendly solutions. We were particularly inspired by co-founder, Jamie-Lee Kay’s story of the inception of The Other Straw, and delighted to interview her for our Aussie Business series:

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1. Tell us a bit about your business and how you got to where you are now?

The Other Straw is a social enterprise replacing single-use plastic straws with reusable, ethically sourced bamboo straws.

Since launching in late 2018, we’ve diverted over 9 million plastic straws from entering our landfills, waterways and oceans.

After some early traction with our straws, we took the leap to extend our product range to other sustainable, ethical alternatives to plastic items. Including bamboo toothbrushes, bamboo cutlery and coconut bowls.

Our mission is to make the world a more sustainable place. We want to make it as easy as possible for individuals, and businesses to live a less wasteful lifestyle.

2. What do you love most about your business – how is it unique?

I love our why and purpose of our business. We started this business with the goal to eliminate single-use plastics, and this is our biggest motivation.

The pillars in which our business was built on are our personal values and ethos. And this shines through everything we do. Every decision we make is made with passion, meaning and intention. We put our purpose and people above our profits, always.

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3. What’s your life mantra?

Create a life you are proud and passionate about.

Your daily choices, decisions and actions are what makes up your life. If you are not proud of them, do something about it. Live a life that you are content and passionate about. Build a legacy and purpose that you can be proud of.

4. What else would you be doing if you didn’t do what you do?

I probably would be in marketing (as this is what I studied). In 2018, after graduating with a Commerce Degree (major in Marketing), I turned down the corporate career path to start The Other Straw.

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5. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

The best gift I received was from my partner’s Mother. She gave me some veja sneakers. For those who don’t know veja, they are an ethical, sustainable and fair-trade sneaker company. I wear them pretty much everyday, so I couldn’t have asked for a more practical and better gift.

6. What’s the best gift you’ve ever bought someone?

When my partner and co-founder Lennart moved to Australia from the Netherlands I bought him a bike. The Dutch love their bikes. Although it wasn’t the bike he had in mind, he loved the gesture haha.

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Inspiring People: Chloe Hung, author

Sometimes our ‘true calling’ doesn’t lie in the area we trained in. But that doesn’t mean your training was in vain…often it’s a stepping-stone towards your bigger picture, as Chloe Hung has discovered. 

1. Tell us your story:
I am an author and an actuarial consultant from Malaysia. When I first graduated college, I wanted to put my actuarial degree to good use to help me land a great job and advance within the ranks of the corporate world quickly. After 2 years of working within the corporate sector, I realized that my true calling actually lies within the educational sector. My area of specialty lies in actuarial and financial education.

2. How did you identify the goal/s you wanted to achieve?
I attended a boot camp organized by my publisher, and their presentation made me realize that I should step out of my comfort zone and do something to achieve my dreams. I was sick of having my work go unappreciated at my workplace and I was sick of having to depend on a job that I hate for income. I wanted a change and I set 2 specific goals during my publisher’s boot camp: becoming a published author and achieve financial freedom for my family. My publisher showed me the resources to make this dream become a reality.

3. How did you work towards achieving your goal – did you have a plan and a deadline to achieve your goals?
My publishing team was always there for me as I embarked on my author journey. It was difficult at first as there were so many new things to learn but I followed the system created by my publisher and it worked wonderfully. I am now a published author and I have created a business to help me achieve financial freedom in the long run.

4. What was the biggest challenge you encountered along the way?
My biggest challenge was staying focused as there were just so many things to do and so many new things to try. I ended up burning half of my savings jumping here and there trying out every single new thing that came along.

5. What inspires you and keeps you going when you encounter obstacles?
Having a clear set of goals and making a decision to achieve them. As the saying goes, “When there is a will, there is a way.” This saying kept me going during my tough times. I firmly believe that life is always happening for us and not against us. Therefore, any challenges that come my way are thrown at me to make me stronger and better in the long run.



6. What advice do you have for anyone wanting to achieve a goal?
It’s easy to give up when nothing seems to be going your way. If you are on the verge of giving up, pause and re-evaluate that particular goal of yours. Ask yourself why is that goal important to you? On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the importance of that goal? What do you ultimately want to achieve through that goal? What do I need to do now to achieve this important goal of mine?
These questions help me focus and push forward when the going gets tough.



7. What are the next goals you hope to achieve?
I hope to travel the world and help everyone around me achieve financial stability in the long run.

Chloe Hung wrote the book Strength in Numbers to help people-especially students learn what actuarial science is all about. Chloe firmly believes that knowledge in numbers is a very powerful tool especially if you are looking to multiply your own income.
Speaking to groups and coaching clients, Chloe loves showing others how they too, can leverage their actuarial skills and knowledge to multiply their own income.
Learn more about Chloe at www.myactuarialresource.com

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Inspiring People: Paige Arnof-Fenn, founder and CEO of Mavens & Moguls

When you build your own business, it can be hard to let go of the reigns, even for a moment to take time out for yourself. But scheduling ‘white space’ into your calendar is essential for  long-term success. This week Paige Arnof-Fenn, founder and CEO of Mavens & Moguls shares the story of her journey and other lessons she’s learned along the way…

“I did not plan on starting a company. I always wanted to go work for a large multi-national business and be a Fortune 500 CEO. When I was a student I looked at leaders like Meg Whitman & Ursula Burns as my role models. I started a global marketing company in Cambridge, MA 16 years ago after starting my career on Wall Street in the 80s and having a successful career in Corporate America at companies like Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola and working at 3 different startups as the head of marketing. 

I took the leap right after 9/11 when the company I worked for cut their marketing. I had nothing to lose. Being an entrepreneur provides me a platform to do work I truly enjoy with and for people I respect. I get to set my priorities, I have time to travel and hang out with my inner circle, and work out every day. 



It has been a journey to get here but I am lucky to have found it. I love the autonomy, flexibility and the fact that I know every day the impact that I have on my business. When I worked at big companies I always felt the ball would roll with or without me, that if I got hit by a bus someone new would be in my office right away. Now my DNA is in everything we do and I can trace every decision and sale to something I did or a decision I made and that is incredibly gratifying and fulfilling. Like most entrepreneurs, I am working harder and longer than ever and I have never been happier. Working for yourself and building a business you started in incredibly rewarding and gratifying.

For the first 5 years I was scared to go on vacation for fear all my hard work would unravel. Then my in-laws, father, mom and stepdad all started to get sick and I wanted to be there for them. They all lived thousands of miles away so I started to work less. After years of decline they each died about 6 months apart and I became executrix which is like having another job at times. So I had to take very good care of myself or I would not have been helpful to anyone else. 

I started working out every day. I started planning me time on my calendar. I became more comfortable with white space in my day and stopped over scheduling myself. And guess what? My business did not suffer, in fact it has become stronger. We moved up the food chain and have better clients. I do not think I could ever go back. I am so much happier and more productive as an entrepreneur than I ever was working for others. 



It is all about controlling your calendar. I no longer try to squeeze in more meetings or hit multiple events at night. As an entrepreneur, I can be selective. Less really is more. I’ve chosen quality over quantity. It sounds trivial but it is true. I created a platform to do work I enjoy and feel energized by. I feel I have found my purpose because I used to work all the time and life was passing me by. I got raises and promotions but I was all work and no play and I did not feel fulfilled. 

Since starting my business I have joined boards and volunteered at several organizations. I am a mentor to the next generation of leaders and have helped build a very successful anti-bullying program that >50,000 middle school aged kids have gone through. I am happier and healthier than I have been in more than a decade. As a marketing consultant I am able to write articles, contribute to books and speak at events to share my experience and lessons learned.

I self-funded the company and have learned so much. Beware because the people you start with are not always the ones who grow with you. The biggest mistake and hardest lesson I learned when I started my company is not getting rid of weak people earlier than I did in the first few years of my business. I spent more time managing them than finding new customers. I knew in my gut they were not up to snuff but out of loyalty to them I let them hang around much longer than they should have. It would have been better for everyone to let them go as soon as the signs were there. They became more insecure and threatened as we grew which was not productive for the team. As soon as I let them go the culture got stronger and the bar higher. “A” team people like to be surrounded by other stars. It is true that you should hire slowly and fire quickly. I did not make that mistake again later on so learned it well the first time. I wish I had known it even earlier though but lesson learned for sure!

Prospective customers can come from anyone anywhere anytime so you should always be on your best behavior & make a great lasting impression. Be nice to everyone & make friends before you need them, you never know who is in or will be in a position to help! It is true you should never burn a bridge, that really is great advice and I can tell you dozens of stories over the years where that has served me well. You just never know when your paths will cross again with old colleagues, former bosses, etc. Kill them with kindness and don’t ever burn that bridge, trust me it pays off! Also, be the best prepared at every meeting, work your butt off and smile. It has worked for me at least!



Paige Arnof-Fenn is the founder & CEO of global marketing firm Mavens & Moguls (www.MavensAndMoguls.com) based in Cambridge, MA. Their clients include Microsoft, Virgin, venture-backed startups as well as non profit organizations. Paige started her marketing career at Procter & Gamble and was Assistant Chief Marketing Officer at Coca-Cola. She also ran marketing at 3 successful startups previously. Paige graduated from Stanford University and Harvard Business School. She is a popular speaker and columnist who has written for Entrepreneur and Forbes.

Inspiring People: Winnie Mak Tselikas, One Dear World

There’s nothing like becoming a parent to make you re-think your purpose in life, and to consider the type of world you’d like your children to grown up in. This was true for Winnie Mak Tselikas, who founded One Dear World after the birth of her son. This is how Winnie started her business…

1. Tell us your story
I’m originally from Hong Kong with a traditional Chinese background. After moving to the UK in 2010, I married my half-French-half-Greek husband and gave birth to our 2 year-old son. After my maternity break, I started a business called One Dear World, ran a successful crowdfunding campaign and published my children’s book in November 2017. 

2. How did you identify the goal/s you wanted to achieve?
I took the time during my maternity break and thought deeply about what I wanted to do in life and what sort of world I want my son to be in. My parenting experience and the multicultural environmental in my family and in London inspired me to start this business, which produces multicultural dolls and storybooks that teach children diversity and inclusion from a young age.

One Dear World Rag Dolls


3. How did you work towards achieving your goal – did you have a plan and a deadline to achieve your goals? 
Without knowing if my idea would work, I broke down my plan into stages and started with the crowdfunding campaign. Then again I broke down the crowdfunding stage into small steps and tackled them one by one. And yes I did set goals with a timeline.

4. What was the biggest challenge you encountered along the way?
To better control the cost, I’m doing almost everything (PR, marketing, doll design, sourcing, writing the book, video editing, business development) by myself with support from my husband on the weekend while taking care of my son. So the biggest challenge was to prioritise the tasks and stay productive so I can accomplish as much as possible within the limited time when my son was in nursery.

One Dear World book


5. What inspires you and keeps you going when you encounter obstacles?
My husband encourages me a lot when I feel down and the thought of setting an example to my son keeps me going.

6. What advice do you have for anyone wanting to achieve a goal?
Make a plan and work on it everyday even the smallest possible task and celebrate your achievement. 



7. What are the next goals you hope to achieve?
I’m aiming to hit the Christmas gifting market with my dolls and book and to achieve my sales target by the end of this year, then make my dolls and book available to more toy and book stores. I would also like to publish another book next year.

Winnie Mak Tselikas is a mumpreneur with a 2 year-old son. Inspired by her multicultural family and London’s diversity, she founded One Dear World and created dolls and storybook that promote diversity and inclusion to young children. Learn more at www.onedearworld.com

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Inspiring People: Damon Nailer, www.daril.org

Many people (myself included!) aspire to write a book. But how can you maximise the reach and impact your book has on your readers? If you are writing a non-fiction book, then creating an online course that complements your book could be a viable option. This is exactly what Damon Nailer did, and how he did it…

1. Tell us your story:
My name is Damon Nailer. I currently reside in Monroe, La where I serve as a consultant, educator, author, motivational speaker, and program/online course creator. On the personal side I am a devoted husband and proud father.

2. How did you identify the goal/s you wanted to achieve?
I had conducted research about creating various ways to earn income from your book besides books sales when I discovered the concept of converting your book into an online course. This idea truly resonated with me since I am an educator. Therefore, the goal was to create an online school by developing my book and newly released coaching program into two full-fledged online courses.

3. How did you work towards achieving your goal – did you have a plan and a deadline to achieve your goals? 
I devised a plan which was to convert 4-5 chapters a week which would give me about a month as a deadline to complete the course. 



4. What was the biggest challenge you encountered along the way?
My biggest challenges were carving out time to do the work as well as finding the most suitable platform to host my online course. I miraculously found time to complete the conversion and after research I discovered the best platform for the course. 

5. What inspires you and keeps you going when you encounter obstacles?
What inspires me the most when I face a challenge while pursuing any endeavor is looking forward to experiencing the exhilarating feeling of completing the task/attaining the goal after overcoming the obstacles.

6. What advice do you have for anyone wanting to achieve a goal?
1. Set realistic, tangible/measurable goals. 2. Make sure to create a timeline and set an overall deadline but be prepared to make adjustments in your time frame to accommodate unforeseen obstacles and circumstances that may arise. 3. Stay the course and remain focused until you reach the goal. 4. Have patience. Sometimes reaching the goal takes longer than you may anticipate. 5. Be flexible because you may have to alter your strategy or methods to obtain the goal.

7. What are the next goals you hope to achieve? 
My next goals are to create more courses for my online school and publish another book and inspirational eBook within the next 1-2 years. 

Damon Nailer is truly a “Renaissance Man” wearing the following hats: consultant, speaker, author, educator, and program/online course creator. Learn more about Damon at www.daril.org

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Inspiring People: Olivia Djouadi, online psychotherapist, counsellor and supervisor

At nine years old, Olivia Djouadi was told that she may not live past 30. When she passed this milestone, she started to rethink her life and career. Olivia is now an online psychotherapist, counsellor and supervisor and we are excited to share the story of how she got there…

1. Tell us your story:
I am Olivia Djouadi UKCP from London UK and now work in my dream career as an online psychotherapist, counsellor and supervisor. The training took a total of seven years and I continue to update my knowledge yearly. As a student in the 1980s my family were lucky to have a Apple 2E computer and my love of these machines that connected people began. During my training my computer gave me access to expertise from both America and Europe and I thought people who are time limited due to work, activities, and disabilities could gain my expertise in order to improve their wellbeing and for some a path out of trauma.

2. How did you identify the goal/s you wanted to achieve?
I had been given a sort of lifeline when I lived past 30; I heard at 9 my type 1 diabetes may finish my life at 30 and I really believed it. Suddenly having a future took some excavating in my past, so I got therapy which was life-changing. I knew this was the career I wanted and knowing it took years to train challenged me to make a long-term goal. Reaching that goal meant I could not only assist individuals in my own area, but online as well after additional online training. 

3. How did you work towards achieving your goal – did you have a plan and a deadline to achieve your goals? 
I researched my university options. After the first year at one place, I transferred to another which was a great fit. I knew the training involved both class time and placements at a variety of clinics and GPs. I saw it as a step-by-step process that would continue even after training ended.


4. What was the biggest challenge you encountered along the way?
My biggest challenge was a mild stroke I had four years into training. At the time I was training at one university in traditional psychotherapy, training at another in online counselling, and doing placement hours. I stepped back from client work until I was ok, then I continued on my training journey.

5. What inspires you and keeps you going when you encounter obstacles?
The clients I had were so inspiring and I saw each one progress in their own ways. I also saw some overcome some huge emotional situations and achieve new goals. I work with severe trauma and also chronic illness which is challenging but also saves lives.

6. What advice do you have for anyone wanting to achieve a goal?
Keep going, you may get tired or stressed however little steps along the way will help you reach your goal. Break your goal into steps because the entire goal can seem too much at the start. Get a mentor. As well as getting therapy I also contacted experts in my field.

7. What are the next goals you hope to achieve? 
I would like to establish a worldwide trauma network that people can go to so they can get the support they need either in their own countries, or in another with qualified practitioners. 


Olivia Djouadi UKCP accredited psychotherapist and online counsellor and supervisor in the UK and worldwide. Connect with Olivia at www.therapywitholiviacom.ipage.com/index.html, or on her Facebook page 

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Inspiring People: David Black, actor, director, producer and musician.

No one loves an inspiring story more than us, and this week we’ve got an awesome one from David Black, an actor, director, producer and musician. Many creative people struggle making the decision between following their creative pursuit, or taking another full time job and following their creative passion on the side. David shares his story about how he relentlessly chased his dream to make his creative pursuit his full time gig.  

1. Tell us your story:
My name is David Black. I’ve been creative all my life and was the editorial cartoonist for The Truth back in 1989/1990. Back then, I was young and believed that I would make it as an artist, but over time, I ended up taking a full time job and just doing my art and music on the side. My band, Darkness Visible was getting good numbers to our gigs and we were getting out the recordings and music videos, so it looked like something might happen. But then I got cancer and everything started to unwind.

For a long time, I suffered exhaustion and was getting depressed. But as my energy started returning, I was invited to be an extra in a local horror movie called “Cult Girls”. Since then, I’ve gone from back-ground extra, to featured extra, to actor, to directing my own short movies and a TV series. 

2. How did you identify the goal/s you wanted to achieve?
At first, the acting was just something that I had chanced upon and found that I enjoyed. With each role I did, I met more people in the movie industry. I got invited to do quite a variety of different things, which gave me an idea of what I liked doing within the film industry.

3. How did you work towards achieving your goal?
With each goal. I attacked it the same way as at my full time work in sales. I would research, put together a database of contacts and then engage with them. Some things came through and others didn’t.

4. What was the biggest challenge you encountered along the way?
The biggest challenge was that I was going from success to success in an industry where I was new to most people. The skills involved with various projects in the movie industry are very much the same as in the music industry. With 30 years of experience in the local gig scene, it meant that I was bringing these skills with me and getting ahead, whereas some that were long established in the indie movie industry just thought I was the newcomer. This clicked off a lot of jealousies.

5. What inspires you and keeps you going when you encounter obstacles?
So far, whenever someone local has blocked my way, better offers have come in from other sources. When I started writing articles about the local movie industry, the established local blogs thumbed their nose at me. I didn’t have time to get down over it because much larger overseas movie blogs asked for my articles.

When the indie movie distributors wouldn’t give me a press pass to cover their premiere’s, larger commercial movie distributors put me on their critics list.

Basically, there are no obstacles nowadays. Australian is no longer a one horse town. The internet has opened the whole world to us.

6. What advice do you have for anyone wanting to achieve a goal?
Just do it. Get started and see where it goes. Don’t wait for permission or approval from anyone or you will get old waiting.

7. What are the next goals you hope to achieve?
I have just recently finished filming a hosted horror show, called Horror House. My goal is really just for it to take off. I am hoping to leave my full time job and make a living in the film industry. It’s time that I got back to being a full time creative.


David Black is an actor, director, producer and musician. Learn more about David’s recent project on the Horror House Facebook page

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Inspiring People: Lillie Cawthorn, author of The Money Factory

Lillie Cawthorn is the bestselling author of The Money Factory – How Any Woman Can Make $30,000 to $100,000 Passive Income, which was published by Black Card Books in November 2015. Since that time, Lillie has experienced incredible media exposure and invitations for speaking opportunities. Here’s why…

1. Tell us your story:
Just over one year ago, Lillie was working behind the scenes supporting her husband as he focused on developing their successful industrial real estate business which was jointly purchased. To enable her husband to transform the business by growing and modernising it, Lillie agreed to take responsibility for the business book keeping in addition to home and family. However, this meant giving up her career to work from home. This change resulted in virtually no interaction with their business customers or indeed others in the business world. As the business became increasingly successful, all the achievement, recognition and acknowledgements for their success were directed solely to her husband. Consequently, Lillie became more and more dissatisfied and withdrawn.

2. How did you identify the goal/s you wanted to achieve?
In May 2015 she attended a workshop for budding authors that would change her life forever. The facilitator advised “to grow your business and write a book about it”. Lillie saw her opportunity and, feeling hugely excited, hurried home to tell her husband of her intention to take their business to the next level by writing a book about it. She received a resounding rejection, which ensued a terrible argument that could easily have destroyed the marriage. After much soul searching, Lillie decided to commit to write her book.



3. How did you work towards achieving your goal? 
Lillie announced that she would write her book with a focus on women. It would provide an insight into the lucrative industrial real estate investment sector that was almost entirely a male domain and thereby empower women to consider this investment vehicle. Since Lillie has been in this field for almost two decades, she discovered that very few women invest in industrial real estate. She sought to determine the reasons why.

Her greatest concern is the level of poverty being experienced by retired women in Australia. The Superannuation system is simply failing the women of Australia. Alternative income sources are desperately needed, so women can achieve their financial independence and Lillie is gaining incredible attention for the hope she gives women to secure a dream retirement.

Since the launch of her book, Lillie also has been featured in many influential media outlets in Australia and the United States. Media highlights have included Sky Business, The Daily Telegraph, realestate.com.au, commercialrealestate.com.au and Business Blue Print’s Empire Builders. CBS News, Fox, ABC and NBC in the United States have also interviewed Lillie about many industrial property topics

She has spoken at the highly regarded National Achievers Congress 2015 events in Sydney and Melbourne. CPA Australia has requested Lillie speak at the organisation’s 2016 conferences in Sydney and Melbourne.

4. What are the next goals you hope to achieve?
Lillie continues to aim and bag more speaking opportunities and exposure to be a key woman of influence.


Lillie Cawthorn has been investing in industrial real estate in Sydney for the past 15 years and also has real estate investment interests in France and the United States. She is the author of the international bestselling book The Money Factory – How Any Woman Can Make An Extra $30,000 to $100,000 Passive Income. Learn more about Lillie and her book at: www.moneyfactoryinvesting.com/